CERC sets national APPC for open access

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has set the national average power purchase cost (APPC) for open access at Rs 3.48 per kWh for 2017-18. The new APPC is Rs 0.08 higher than the previous year’s tariff of Rs 3.40 per kWh. It does not include transmission charges and the cost of generation and procurement through renewable energy. This tariff can be adopted by regional entities such as large power consumers with a portfolio of 1 MW or more, selling wind or solar power through open access, under the renewable energy certificate (REC) framework, as well as captive power projects that do not have a power purchase agreement (PPA). The new APPC is not applicable to those states and union territories that did not issue APPC or tariff orders in the previous financial years. Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu and Tripura, the APPC determined for 2014-15 will be applicable, whereas in Delhi and Jharkhand the APPC for 2015-16 will be adopted. For Rajasthan, the tariff is set at Rs 3.43 per kWh. In Gujarat, Maharashtra, Assam and Kerala, the APPC for 2016-17 will be applied.